Rejuvenating Democracy, Refusing Corporate PAC Money

Posted on November 5, 2018, 11:39 am

Under unchecked Republican control of the federal government, the culture of corruption in Washington has spun out of control. Americans are demanding change from both parties. A new generation of progressive candidates for Congress—from every part of the country—has staked out an important way to break the cycle of corruption: refusing corporate PAC contributions to their campaigns.

From the pharmaceutical industry to Big Oil and from Wall Street to K Street, big corporate interests have rigged the system with huge contributions to politicians. In return, they’ve gotten massive tax cuts at the expense of the middle class and government rules slanted in their favor, allowing them to gouge the public, pollute the air and water at will, and wreak havoc on our economy.

As a major first step in breaking the cycle of huge corporate contributions in exchange for legislation written to benefit those industries, the Center for American Progress Action Fund and End Citizens United have been urging all progressive candidates to take the pledge: reject corporate PAC money.